Reel



March 2, 1965 w. H. HOCH 3,171,610

REEL

Filed July 19, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

' INVENTOR.

FCa- 1 BY N M HOCH W. H. HOCH March 2, 1965 REEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1960 a gmmuln H i 25:: we Us:

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By Alla/AM H- HOCH I HEY United States Patent 3,171,610 REEL William H. Hoeh, Box 272, Piedmont, Mo. Filed July 19, 196i Ser. No. 43,951 12 Claims. (Cl. 242-1101) This invention relates to a support and reel, and more particularly to a reel especially suitable for the reeling and unreeling of strands or coils such as electrical wire or the like.

Reels used for the coiling and uncoiling of wire, rope, or the like should be stable and self-supporting to function properly and many present day reels are undesirable because they fail to support a roll or coil in a stable and controllable manner. The roll or coil should be firmly clamped to the reel and should be centered with respect to the axis of rotation of the reel to assure smooth operaice 7 proved reel device for simultaneously handling a plurality of rolls or coils.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved brake and lock device for retarding rotation of the reel.

tion. When unreeling a coil it is highly undesirable that I the reel run too freely because of the uncontrollable m0- mentum or inertia built up by the spinning of the reel while the strands are being pulled therefrom. Such free movement of the reel causes it to override the desired stopping point, that is, after the desired length has been pulled from the reel itself will continue to turn, often rapidly, permitting an excess length of strands to unwind. Similarly in winding operations after the full length of the strand has been wound onto the reel, the reel may con tinue to spin permitting the free end of the strand to whip around. It is therefore desirable that the reel be provided with a brake, but such devices are usually too cumbersome to be practical, and are often ineffective. It is further desirable that the reel can be locked in a given position, but a very rigid lock is undesirable because of the possibility of damage to the reel or support should one of the portions by subjected to a sudden jolt or impact. Few such devices assure adequate centering of the rool or coil on the reel and even fewer assure such centering along with an adequate clamping action to prevent the roll or coil from turning with respect to the reel. Such turning is undesirable because of possible damage to the strands and because the reel is usually unbalanced in operation. Smooth operation is particularly desirable when heavy reels of wire or rope are to be handled.

In addition to smooth operation of the reels, along with control of the reel during rotation, the roll or coil should be supported laterally so that the strands cannot fall off to one side or the other, and such restraint is especially important when reeling in. But the lateral restraint should not be too rigid for such rigidness often results in the strands binding upon being unrolled, which may require loosening the roll or coil on the reel to free the strand. It is further highly desirable that a reel be adjustable to accommodate any width of a roll or coil and to firmly clamp it on the reel. It is also high desirable that the reel can be adquately turned in a convenient manner as by a crank, but the crank should not spin with the reel as the strands are being pulled from the reel because of the likelihood of injuring a bystander.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved support.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved reel for holding a roll or coil.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved reel for both centering and clamping a roll or coil.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved reel wherein a roll or coil is laterally supported.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved reel wherein a roll or coil is laterally resiliently A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved winding and tightening assembly.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved reel device which is smooth in operation, simple and sturdy in construction and inexpensive to manufac ture.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side sectional view of an embodiment of the invention, taken on the line 11 in FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1, with parts removed for clearer illustration,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevation view taken on the line 44 in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view of a combination crank and Wrench with cooperation portions of the reel shown in phantom lines, and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary View taken on the line 6-6 in FIGURE 5. 7 Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a supporting foot 1 having secured thereto as by welding a socket 2 receiving a post 3. The post is clamped in the socket by a set screw 4 and lock nut 5. Fixed to the top of the post 3, as by welding 6 or the like, is a housing 7. The housing 7 is provided with a longitudinal bore 8 having enlarged portions 9 at either end. The enlarged portions 9 receive ball bearing clusters 10. A shaft 15 is rotatably mounted in the bearings 10.

As shown in FIGURE 1, movement of the shaft 15 to the right is prevented, and rotation of the shaft is variably retarded by a retaining and brake device including a set screw 18 threadeclly received in a threaded bore 19 in an end of the shaft, with an abutment disc 20 received on the set screw 18 and non-rotatably mounted with respect to the shaft 15 by a pair of pins 21 which are received in bores 22 in the shaft and bores 23 in the disc 20. A second disc 25 is non-rotatably mounted on the housing 7 by means of pins 26 received in bores 27 in the housing and bores 28 in the disc 25. If desired a friction member 30 may be positioned between the discs 20 and 25 to facilitate smoother action and reduce wear on the discs. A coil compression spring 31 is positioned between the head of the set screw 18 and the disc 20 to urge the disc 20 constantly toward the disc 25 and into abutting relationship with the housing 7.

A main bevel gear 35 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 15. The gear 35 has a hub with a flange portion 36 engaging the inner race of the adjacent ball hearing. A hand wheel 37 is fixed in any suitable manner to the main gear 35. The inner races of the ball bearings 10 are spced apart by a sleeve spacer member 39. A cluster member 40 is fixed to the shaft 15 by means of a key 41 received in keyway 42 in the shaft 15 and clamped against the shaft by set screw 43. Thus movement of the shaft to the left through the housing 7 is effectively prevented. The custer member 40 is provided with a plurality of radial bores 45 each receiving a bushing 46. Smooth reduced' ends 51 of threaded shafts are received one in each of the bushings 46. Fixed to each reduced end 51 is a beveled pinion gear 52 which cooperates with the main beveled gear 35. Also fixed to the cluster member 40 is a first retaining ring 55 having rim 56 and a plurality of spokes 57. Each spoke is fixed to an inner rim 58 which is in turn fixed to the cluster member 40. Each spoke is slotted as illustrated at 59, and outwardly of the slot on each spoke is a journal member 60 having a bushing 61 which receives a smooth reduced free end 62 of the respectives'crew 50. Each journal member 60is' secured to its spoke 57 by a screw 63. Each screw 50 threadedly receiving a nut 65 having fixed thereto as by welding or the like, a plate 66. Secured to the plate 66 by screws 67 is a slide member 68 having a reduced portion received in the slot'59', and an enlarged face plate 69 to which is secured, as by welding or the like, a supporting arm 70. Each supporting arm has a curved outer face 71 which receives the core of a roll or coil.

When the ring 55 is at rest and the hand wheel 37 is rotated, the gear 35 causes thepinions 52 to rotatean'd thereby rotate the screws 50, moving the arms in or out. With the arms 70 clamped against a core mounted thereon, the core is centered on the reel and the'ring 55, the gear 35 and hand wheel 37 and shaft 15 rotate together.

A moveable second retaining ring 75 has a peripheral rim 76 and spokes 77, which may be resilient and are secured at their inner ends to a hublike member 78. Ring 75 retards movement of the core or cores longitudinal of the shaft 15 and is slidably and non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 15 by means of a key 79 fixed to the hub-like member 78 and slidably received in the keyway 42 As shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, securing means in the form of a nut 801s rotatably secured to the movable ring 75 by means of a plurality of fingers 81 one secured to each spoke 77 by means of screws 82. The fingers have inner portions received in a slot 83 in the nut 80. The nut is received on. a threaded end 85 of the shaft 15 for releasahly holding ring 75 on the shaft. By turning the nut 80 the moveable ring 75 may be moved inwardly or outwardly onjthe shaft 15. 4

Between the fixed ring 55 and the moveable ring 75 is the finger member 110 is in the position shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6, and engages the nut 80, a forked portion 114 engages one of the spokes 77 on the moveable ring 75, and by turning the lever 105 the entire reel may be rotated. When the finger 110 is retracted the forked portion can no longer engage a spoke 77, and the nut 80 may be tightened or loosened. If desired, the body portion of the socket may be provided with a pin received in slot 112 to maintain the finger in proper alignment, however, this is satisfactorily accomplished by the cooperating curvature of the finger and socket body. 7

The operationis as follows. With the movable ring 75, spring 101, and the floating ring removed from the reel, the core of a coil'of wire is placed on the supporting arms 70. The floating ring 90 is then inserted onto the shaft 15, followed by spring 101. A second coil of wire may then be placed on the supporting arms 70. If additional coils are to be placed on the reel an additional floating ring, as 70, should be inserted onto the shaft 15 to separate each coil, and a spring, as 101, should separate each floating ring. After the last coil has been placed on the supporting arms 70, the moveable ring 75 is inserted onto the shaft and the nut 80 is threaded onto the shaft threads. With finger 110 retracted, socket 107 of the combination wrench and'l'ever is inserted over the nut 80, and the nut is screwed onto the shaft 15 until all floating rings, as 90, and the moveable ring 75, lightly V of the coils.

a floating third retaining ring 90'having a peripheral rim 91 to which is secured spokes 92 fixed at their inner ends to a hub-like member 93. Hub 93 is non-rotatably mounted for sliding movement on the shaft 15 by means of a key 94 slidably received in the keyway 42 and fixed to the hub-like member 93, in a manner similar to the mounting of ring 75 on the shaft 15. Between the fixed ring 55 and the floating ring 90 is a coil compression spring 100, and between the. floating ring 90 and the movable ring 75 is a second coil'compression spring 101. Thus resilient means are provided urging adjacent rings apart and locking nut 80. In the event that the floating ring 90 is not utilized a coil compression spring may be positioned between the fixed ring 55 and'the moveable ring 75. Additional floating rings, as 90, may be utilized to separate adjacentrolls or coils, as 95, and any number of rolls or coils may be placed on the reel. Thus if four strands are required, four coils and three floating rings, one between each coil is utilized. When a floating ring is used adjacent the coil,

the ring can give to permit jammed strands to be pulled free, and resilient arms 77 similarly may give.

FIGURES 5 and 6 illustrate an actuating crank and wrench device for tightening or loosening the nut 80 and for rotating the entire reel'including fixed ring 55, floating ring 9'0 and-moveable ring 75 as well as supporting arms 70. The crank and wrench device includes an arm havinga handle 106 and a socket 107 for cooperating with and non-rotatablyengaging the nut 80. A forked abutment finger 110 is slidably mounted on the body portion of the socket 107 by means of a'set screw 103 passing through a slot 112 in the finger and engaging a threaded hole 113 in the body of the socket member. Thus when but firmly engage the coils of wire. The wrench is removed. The hand wheel 37 is then turned to expand the supporting arms 70 into firm engagement with the cores As each supporting arm 70 moves simultaneously, and is originally concentric with the shaft, the cores of the coils are centered and tightly held on the reel. The brake set screw 18 may be adjusted to resist'turning of the reel and coils, to prevent the reel and coils from continuing to turn when the pull on the strand or strands has stopped. When his desired to hold the reel and coils fixed, the set screw 18 may be tightened to preventrotation of the shaft 15.

After the desired length of strands has been pulled from the coils, and cut therefrom, the lever and wrench combination is again placed on the nut 80, the fork 114 of the finger 110 is projected outwardly into engagement with a spoke 77 of ring 75, and is clamped in place by set screw 111. The excess wire may then be wound back onto the coils.

Although this invention has been described with particular reference to certain embodiments, structural details,

and specific environments, various changes andother ap-;

plications will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiments, details or environments, except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a support for a core having a longitudinal axis, the combination comprising, a housing, a shaft rotatably mounted on said housing, clamping means movable radially of said shaft to clamp and center said core with respect to said shaft, means to so move said clamping means, retaining means nonrotatably mounted on said shaft to retard movement of said core longitudinally of said shaft, securing means on said shaft to hold said retaining means longitudinally of said shaft, means to variably retard rotation of said shaft, an actuating member detachably engaging said securing means to rotate said securing means, and abutment means on said actuating member detachablyengaging said retaining means to simultaneously rotate said shaft, securing means, and retaining means when said abutment means engages said retaining means.

2. In a support for a corehaving a longitudinal axis, the combination comprising, a housing having a bore, a shaft having a central axis passing through said bore and rotatably mounted with respect to said housing, arm means substantially parallel to said central axis and moveable radially with respect to said central axis to clamp and center said core with respect to said shaft, said arm means having screw means mounted on said shaft and projecting radially from said shaft to vary the location of said arm means with respect to said shaft upon rotation of said shaft, and means to rotate said screw means, the last said means comprising gear means on said screw means and other gear means cooperating with the first said gear means and rotatable about said central axis to rotate said screw means, means to normally maintain said other gear means stationary with respect to the first said gear means responsive to rotation of said shaft, retaining means to retard movement of said core longitudinally of said shaft and comprising, first retaining means substantially fixed on said shaft, second retaining means non-rotatably mounted on said shaft, a nut threadably received on said shaft for holding said second retaining means on said shaft, said second retaining means being spaced from said first retaining means, third retaining means on said shaft between said first and second retaining means; resilient means on said shaft between and abutting adjacent retaining means, means to prevent movement of said shaft with respect to said housing in the direction of said longitudinal axis, an abutment non-rotatably secured to an end of said shaft and urged into engagement with said housing, and means to vary the force with which said abutment is urged into engagement with said housing to variably retard rotation of said shaft, and an actuating member having a portion detachably engaging said nut to rotate said nut with respect to said shaft, and abutment means on said actuating member detachably engaging said second retaining means to rotate said shaft with said nut upon rotation of said actuating member when said abutment means engages said second retaining means.

3. In a support for a core having a longitudinal axis, the combination comprising, a reel, means for receiving, centering and clamping said core in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said core, and resilient means comprising rings extending outwardly from the first said means and having spoke means resiliently yieldable in the direction of said axis to retain said core substantially fixed with respect to said reel in the direction of said longitudinal axis.

4. In a core support, the combination comprising, a shaft, first core retaining means secured to said shaft, second core retaining means removably mounted on said shaft, holding means threadedly received by said shaft for holding said second retaining means on said shaft, said second retaining means being spaced from said first retaining means, and resilient means on said shaft and engaging said first and second retaining means to urge said first and second retaining means apant and said second means into engagement with said holding means to retard movement of said holding means.

5. In a support for a plurality of cores, the combination comprising, a shaft, first, second and third core retaining means on said shaft and spaced from each other for receiving cores, one between each pair of adjacent ones of said retaining means, means urging said retaining means toward each other to clamp said cores in position, and resilient means on said shaft engaging adjacent retaining means for urging said retaining means apart.

6. A brake in a core support, comprising, a housing having a bore, a shaft have a longitudinal axis passing through said bore and supported by said housing for rotation relative to said housing, means on said shaft for mounting a core, means to substantially prevent movement of said shaft with respect to said housing in the direction of said longitudinal axis, an abutment on an end of said shaft for rotation therewith, and adjustable means urging said abutment into abutting relationship with said housing to variably retard rotation of said shaft.

7. A brake in a core support, comprising, a housing having a bore, a shaft having a longitudinal axis passing through said bore and supported by said housing for rotation relative to the housing, means on said shaft for mounting a core, means to substantially prevent movement of said shaft with respect to said housing in the direction of said longitudinal axis, the last said means comprising an abutment on an end of said shaft for rotation therewith and urged into abutting relationship with said housing, and means to vary the force with which said abutment is urged into engagement with said housing to variably retard rotation of said shaft.

8. In a support, the combination comprising, a shaft, first retaining means secured to said shaft, second retaining means spaced from said first retaining means and nonrot a-tably secured to said shaft, securing means threada bly received by said shaft for limiting movement of said second retaining means longitudinally of said shaft, actuating means having a portion detachably engaging said securing means to turn said securing means, and abutment means on said actuating means detachably engaging said second retaining means to prevent rotation of said securing means with respect to said shaft and to simultaneously rotate said shaft, securing means, and second retaining means upon rotation of said actuating means when said abutment means engages said second retaining means.

9. In a support for a core, the combination comprising: a housing, a shaft having a centnal axis rotatably mounted with respect to said housing, arm means substantially parallel to said central axis and movable radially with respect to said central axis into engagement with said core, said arm means having screw means mounted on said shaft to vary the location of said arm means with respect to said shaft, means comprising gear means on said screw means and other gear means cooperating with the first said gear means and rotatable about said central axis to rotate said screw means and move said arm means into engagement with said core and to hold said other gear means substantially stationary with rsepect to such shaft when said arm means are in said engagement with said core.

16. In a support for a core, the combination comprising, a shaft, first and second core retaining means mounted on said shaft for clamping a core therebetween, securing means adjustably received by said shaft for urging said second core retaining means toward each other to clamp the core, and resilient means between said first and second core retaining means to urge said first and second core retaining means apart.

11. A rotary shaft assembly comprising, a housing having a bore opening through an end of the housing, a shaft extending outwardly from said ibore with an end adjacent the housing end, a set screw having a shank threaded in and extending axially outwardly from said shaft end to a head outwardly of said housing end, a first disc between said head and housing end, means mounting said first disc for rotation with said shaft and movement axially of said shaft, a second disc between said first disc and housing end, means holding said second disc against rotation with respect to said housing, resilient means seated between said head and first disc urging said first disc into abutting relationship with said second disc to retard rotation of said shaft, and means comprising said set screw for adjustably braking rotation of said shaft.

12. A rotary shaft assembly comprising, a housing having a bore extending therethrough and opening through an end of the housing, a shaft supported by said housing and extending through said bore with an end adjacent the housing end, a set screw having a shank threaded in and extending axially outwardly from said shaft end to a head outwardly of said housing end, a first disc telescoped on said shank between said head and housing end, means comprising pins telescoped in said first disc and anchored in said shaft end mounting said first disc for rotation with said shaft and movement axially of said shaft, a second disc between said first disc and housing end and abutting said housing end, means comprising pins telescoped in said seconddisc and anchored in said housing end holding said second disc against rotation with respect to said housing and for movement of saidsecond disc axially of said shaft, resilient means comprising a spinial compression spring teles'coped on said shank between said head and first disc urging said first disc into abutting relationship with said second disc to retard rotation of said shaft, and means comprising said set screw for adjusting the effective force of said spring against References Cited in the fi le of this patent said first disc for adjustably braking rotation of said shaft. 10 2,963,240

UNITED STATES PATENTS Lawson -May 11, 1875 Spoor et a1 May 9, 1933 Chapman May 9, 1939 Littell June 6, 1939 Jackson et a1 Sept. 4, 1951 L-anstrom M-ar. 3, 1959 Jackson eta1. V Dec. 6, 1960 

1. IN A SUPPORT FOR A CORE HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A HOUSING, A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING, CLAMPING MEANS MOVABLE RADIALLY OF SAID SHAFT TO CLAMP AND CENTER SAID CORE WITH RESPECT TO SAID SHAFT, MEANS TO SO MOVE SAID CLAMPING MEANS, RETAINING MEANS NONROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT TO RETARD MOVEMENT OF SAID CORE LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID SHAFT, SECURING MEANS ON SAID SHAFT TO HOLD SAID RETAINING MEANS LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID SHAFT, MEANS TO VARIABLY RETARD ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT, AN ACTUATING MEMBER DETACHABLY ENGAGING SAID SECURING MEANS TO ROTATE SAID SECURING MEANS, AND ABUTMENT MEANS ON SAID ACTUATING MEMBER DETACHABLY ENGAGING SAID RETAINING MEANS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY ROTATE SAID SHAFT, SECURING MENS, AND RETAINING MEANS WHEN SAID ABUTMENT MEANS ENGAGES SAID RETAINING MEANS. 